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Strife in Warsaw

Article based on news reports (kjb)August 6, 2007

Two junior coalition partners called for Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's resignation as the Self-Defense Party announced that it would withdraw its ministers from the government.

https://p.dw.com/p/BQQV
Prime Minister Kaczynski faces a rough ride at homeImage: AP

Tensions rose once again in Poland's three-party coalition Monday when Andrzej Lepper, chairman of the co-governing Self-Defense Party, said on Polish radio that Kaczynski was leading his party and the country "as if it were his private farm."

"If this coalition is to continue in this form, then it will have to be without Kaczynski," added Lepper.

Lepper embroiled in scandal

The strife began in July when Kaczynski dismissed Lepper from his post as agriculture minister due to an alleged corruption scandal that Lepper denies.

Andrzej Lepper
Andrzej Lepper is head of Poland's leftist rural Self-Defense PartyImage: AP

Lepper's Self-Defense Party had said on Sunday that it would withdraw its remaining ministers from the coalition.

"There is no coalition," Lepper told reporters.

Roman Giertych, leader of the far-right coalition member League of Polish Families, also did not rule out a motion to replace Kaczynski.

Kaczynski, whose twin brother Lech is Poland's president, is part of the nationalistic Law and Justice Party, which has 150 seats in the Sejm, the country's parliament. Self-Defense has 44 seats and the League of Polish Families has 29.

Early elections likely

The current parliamentary term ends in late 2009; however some analysts speculate that Prime Minister Kaczynski may call early polls if the Self-Defense Party votes with the opposition on any major issue in the next session.

The head of state said last week there was a 90 percent chance early elections would take place between September and November, although his Law and Justice Party has not faired well in recent polls.